"A heinous attack on the foundations of democracy"

The chaotic night on Capitol Hill, which claimed the life of four people at the time of writing this Thursday morning, sparked reactions around the world, including in Luxembourg. PM Xavier Bettel posted two messages on Twitter early Wednesday evening, one in Luxembourgish, the other in English.

"The violences against the Capitol are a heinous attack on the foundations of democracy and the freedom of press. We trust in the strength of the American people and institutions to overcome these times of division & look to President-elect Joe Biden", writes Bettel.

"It's a 9/11 against democracy"

According to foreign minister Jean Asselborn (LSAP) "the images of yesterday show that Donald Trump is a criminal", he said in an interview with RTL on Thursday morning.

He continues that the president is "a political pyromaniac who must be put before a criminal court". He speaks of a "character who could have been democratic, but who has absolutely nothing to do with democracy. He ignored his own Constitution, the decisions of justice, and obviously the results of the elections".

Jean Asselborn sums up the chaotic situation in which one of the oldest democracies in the world is victimised: "January 6, 2021 is a "9/11 against democracy in short "with Trump as an instigator".

Corinne Cahen, president of the DP and Minister for Family Affairs and Integration called the events "incredible and frightening".

Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot said he was "deeply shocked by the scenes on Capitol Hill": it is "an unacceptable attack on democracy and its institutions. But I am convinced that our friends in the United States will survive this attack. We are with you", Fayot wrote.